YUKA Saso of the Philippines fired an eagle-aided six-under par 65 on Saturday to finish with a 10-under par 274 in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games women’s golf competition at the Kasumigaseki Country Club.
Saso went six-under over her closing seven holes as she birdied five holes and scored an eagle at the short par-4 17th hole, where she reached the green with her drive and made the short putt for eagle.
Saso eventually finished at ninth place, already a respectable finish after she began the first round at 47th following a three-over par 74, as she climbed her way back in the next three rounds.
She was 13-under for her final three rounds but still fell three shots out of the medal.
Sweet sweep for Americans
Nelly Korda of the US captured the gold medal with a closing 69 and a 17-under par 267 total, completing the American sweep of the Olympic golf competitions after Xander Schauffelle won the men’s tournament.
Mone Inami of Japan took the silver in her home country after winning the playoff over Lydia Ko of New Zealand, shooting par against the latter's bogey.
Bianca Pagdanganan double-bogeyed her last hole and closed with a 74 for the day and a one-over 285 total, placing 43rd among 60 competitors in the competition.
Saso's Olympic debut went off to a sloppy start with a three-over card, leaving her with too much ground to make up despite a 68, 67 and a 65 in her last three rounds.
The ICTSI-backed Fil-Japanese golfer made up for the bogey with a birdie at No. 5, then had one last push with three straight birdies from 12th to 14th.
Saso eagled the 17th after an excellent tee shot that left her about 10 feet from the cup, before closing her campaign with a birdie in the final hole.
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